


Tenderness is a Weakness

by used_songs



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, Pepperony - Freeform, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Protective Pepper Potts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 16:22:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7808794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/used_songs/pseuds/used_songs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pepper had always planned to come back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tenderness is a Weakness

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [wear your momentum](https://archiveofourown.org/works/6776041) by [sandyk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sandyk/pseuds/sandyk). 



Tony walked out of the kitchen area, coffee in hand and eyes focused on the tablet he held stiffly in his other hand. He frowned, trying to make sense of the figures that were displayed. Suddenly he heard soft laughter from the common room.  Rhodey’s viewing habits tended toward action movies and nature documentaries, so unless he had abruptly developed a taste for rom-coms, he was entertaining someone.

Tony raised his voice. “Sugar Plum, are you canoodeling in the compound? You know we have kids around now.” He was about to add more friendly derision when he walked through the wide entryway to the room and saw who was sitting on the couch with Rhodes. He stopped in astonishment, blinking and waiting for his heart to quit turning over.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t come back?” She sounded almost hurt and uncharacteristically tentative.

He gestured with the tablet, the data forgotten. “Well … I didn’t know. I knew you were tired of my bullshit and -.”

Now she sounded irritated. “Stop right there. How is saving the world bullshit?”

“Pep-.”

“How is fighting to protect people’s rights bullshit?” Her voice had an angry edge now, and he winced.

“Pep-.”

“The only thing that’s bullshit is the way your so-called team has treated you.”

Rhodey broke in, “So Pepper’s back.”

“I see that,” he replied tightly. “Thanks for the -.”

“Maria filled me in on everything I missed while I was gone. What I don’t understand -.”

“Pepper -.”

“When I think about all of the money we spent on those ungrateful -.”

“Pepper -.”

“I just thought I needed to step away, take some time to think, but I shouldn’t have. How could they …? I was wrong to leave. Tony, I missed you so much.” She took a deep breath, shoulders back, composing herself.

Rhodes levered himself up from the couch. “That’s my cue. I’m just gonna go … something. Over there. See you guys later,” he said as he left the room.

“Pepper.”

She looked at him expectantly and Tony walked toward her, abandoning his tablet and his coffee cup on the end table.  “I forgot what I was going to say.” He looked at her and smiled. “You look good, Pep.”

“Tony, I missed you.” She stood up then and touched his cheek lightly, her warmth drawing him in.

“I missed you, too. I …” He lowered his head, unable to continue.

She cupped his jaw with one palm, her thumb stroking the blurred line of his beard, and said gently, “I wish you had called me … but I know you and I know why you didn’t.”

Tony shrugged, unwilling to say anything. He leaned slightly into her hand, enjoying the feeling of not being so alone, enjoying the way her hand held back the chill.

“I wish you had called me.” Pepper pulled him forward a little, her other hand on his shoulder, and urged him to sit next to her. “I worry about you. You wrap yourself in metal, your closest relationships are with your robots -.”

“In my defense, everyone else I’ve tried to -.”

“I know,” she said. “I know. People are … we’re hard. A lot of the time we’re not worth the effort. And we’re complicated.”

“And not even in an interesting way,” Tony grumbled, cautiously resting his forehead against her shoulder.

She smiled. “No. I guess not. Not enough logic. But I think you need a little tenderness, Tony, and I just don’t think that’s something Dummy can give you.” She ran her fingernails lightly over his scalp and he shivered, his eyes half closing in pleasure.

“True. But I can trust him because he hasn’t destroyed anything important lately,” he said.

Her hand rested on the back of his head. “Like your heart? Like your team?” He nodded.

She murmured, “My good boy,” and he shivered again. “They hurt you, Tony.”

He shrugged loosely.

“Don’t be like that.” She let her hand smooth over the back of his neck. “I’m going to make them pay for what they did. All of them. How dare they betray us? Steal from us? Hurt us?” Her words were angry but her tone was soft and her touch was affectionate.

He raised his head and looked into her eyes, unable to prevent a grin from spreading across his face. “I missed you, Pepper.”

“I’m back now. You don’t have to miss me anymore.”

“You’re staying … right?”

She looked at him steadily. “Yes, Tony. I’m so sorry.”

“No, it’s -.”

“I’m staying. From now on, if we have problems, we’ll talk it out. I won’t leave.” She kissed him lightly. “How could I leave you?”

He sighed. “Good. Because I needed you. I need you now.” He closed his eyes so that he couldn’t see her expression at his admission, but he felt the couch shift slightly as she leaned into him. The light scent of her perfume wrapped around him and he felt the heat of her body.

“I am going to make them pay, Tony,” she said softly. “No one does that to my boy and gets away with it.”


End file.
